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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · file · season · pitch · kick · tube · rest · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. file — a line of people
  4. rule — government
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — a container
  7. file — a document
  8. pitch — completely
  9. season — of the year
  10. file — a tool
  11. rest — what's left
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. rest — a break
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — in football
  23. season — in sport
  24. rule — a law

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com